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WMO Technical Regulations – revisited D. Ivanov – DRA/ROE

WMO Technical Regulations – revisited D. Ivanov – DRA/ROE. A bit of a history. IMO years

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WMO Technical Regulations – revisited D. Ivanov – DRA/ROE

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  1. WMO Technical Regulations –revisitedD. Ivanov – DRA/ROE

  2. A bit of a history IMO years “At the present time, the increasing interest in meteorology research shown by all civilized countries has led to a demand for far-reaching coordination and standardization of the methods and procedures in use in different countries.” Invitation letter to the preparatory conference ofthe First International Meteorological CongressLeipzig, 14 August 1872

  3. A bit of a history IMO years One of the main reasons for the creation of WMO as an intergovernmental organization and a UN specialized agency was the need of establishment and promotion of global standards for meteorological observations and exchange of data. IMO tried to impose standards for a Réseau Mondial as early as 1905, but with little success. “The IMO case was typical of pre-World War II scientific internationalism. For 75 years the organization remained a cooperative non-governmental association of national weather services. The principle of interaction was explicitly voluntary. As a result, IMO standards and policies functioned only as recommendations, which nations were at liberty to refuse or simply ignore. … Each national weather service chose its own balance between IMO standards and its own, sometimes diverging techniques.” Paul N. Edwards, Meteorology as Infrastructural Globalism

  4. A bit of a history From IMO to WMO The main driver to standardization between the two wars came from the rapidly developing international air navigation The Paris Convention of 1919, also known as Convention relating to the Regulation of Aerial Navigation, established the International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAN) At the same time, IMO established Technical Commission for the Application of Meteorology to Aerial Navigation. But it was ignored by the governments participating in ICAN due to its weak status In 1935, IMO transformed the Commission into an International Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CIMAé) with members appointed by governments. CIMAé became the first, and until after the WW II, the only IMO entity to acquire official intergovernmental status.

  5. A bit of a history • From IMO to WMO • The transformation of IMO into WMO was not easy with a major division among the meteorological community: • those who preferred to keep the organization as a cooperative mechanism independent from politics; • those who saw the need for intergovernmental status as a must in view of establishing a real global network of national institutions operating under global standards for collection and exchange of data and information. • Though the second way of thinking prevailed after WW II and WMO was created between 1947 and 1951, the influence of the first group of thinking is seen even today in the “soft” language used in the WMO regulations, which rather than dictating to its Members States, would “promote”, “encourage”, “facilitate”, etc.

  6. A bit of a history “This history [of WMO and WWW] illustrates a profoundly important transition from voluntarist internationalism, based on shared interests, to quasiobligatory globalism, based on a more permanent shared infrastructure. The WMO and the WWW thus represent infrastructural globalism, by which “the world” as a whole is produced and maintained (as both object of knowledge and unified arena of human action) through global infrastructures.” Paul N. Edwards, Meteorology as Infrastructural Globalism

  7. Setting Regulations and Standards WMO has established a global regulatory framework, initially for the meteorological, later on, for hydrological and climatological activities, which, in the technical field, requires all Members to align their national practices with a set of standard and recommended practices. This regulatory framework is expected to be transposed into the national legislation and regulation, which each Member establishes for the conduct of meteorological, hydrological and climatological activities. The three pillars of the WMO regulatory framework are:

  8. Three regulatory pillars of WMO Since 1951, WMO Cg-I

  9. Setting Regulations and Standards WMO Convention: Article 2, Purpose (c) To promote standardization of meteorological and related observations and to ensure the uniform publication of observations and statistics; Article 8, Functions (of WMO Congress) (d) To determine regulations prescribing the procedures of the various bodies of the Organization, in particular the General, Technical, Financial and Staff Regulations; Article 9, Execution of Congress decisions All Members shall do their utmost to implement the decisions of Congress; If, however, any Member finds it impracticable to give effect to some requirement in a technical resolution adopted by Congress, such Member shall inform the Secretary-General of the Organization whether its inability to give effect to it is provisional or final, and state its reasons therefor.

  10. Setting Regulations and Standards General Regulations: Annex III, Structure and Terms of Reference of Technical Commissions General terms of reference … each technical commission shall: 2. Develop, for consideration by the Executive Council and Congress, proposed international standards for methods, procedures, techniques and practices in meteorology and operational hydrology including, in particular, the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations, guides and manuals; Individual terms of reference of TCs Standards (making and implementation support) are mentioned in the TORs of [CBS], CIMO, CAeM (quality standards), and JCOMM

  11. Setting Regulations and Standards Technical Regulations: The Introduction ( in the updated version, General Provisions) contains all important definitions and procedures Purpose These Regulations are designed: (a) To facilitate cooperation in meteorology and hydrology between Members; (b) To meet, in the most effective manner, specific needs in the various fields of application of meteorology and operational hydrology in the international sphere; and (c) To ensure adequate uniformity and standardization in the practices and procedures employed in achieving (a) and (b) above.

  12. Setting Regulations and Standards Technical Regulations: Standards and Recommended Practices - differences

  13. Setting Regulations and Standards GENERAL REGULATION 128 [1][notification of non-compliance (inability)] A Member which is unable to give effect to a requirement in a technical resolution which has been adopted by Congress, or by the Executive Council on behalf of Congress, and to which the provisions of Article 9 (b) of the Convention and of these Regulations have been specifically stated to apply, shall so inform the Secretary-General in writing within a period of 90 days after the notification of the decision by the latter. The Member concerned must indicate, in its communication to the Secretary-General, whether its inability to give effect to the resolution is provisional or final and state its reasons therefor. [2][notification of compliance] Members shall specifically notify the Secretary-General in writing of their intention to apply the “standard practices” of the Technical Regulations except for those for which they lodge specific deviations. [3][notification of non-compliance (deviation)] Members shall also inform the Secretary-General, at least three months in advance, of any change in the degree of their implementation of a “standard practice” as previously notified and of the effective date of the change.

  14. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Other elements of the TRs • Notes - included in the Technical Regulations for explanatory purposes; they may, for instance, refer to relevant WMO Guides and WMO publications of factual information. These notes do not have the status of Technical Regulations. • Appendices - texts called appendices appearing in the Technical Regulations or in an annex to the Technical Regulations have the same status as the Regulations to which they refer.

  15. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Other elements of the TRs • Annexes - contain regulatory material having the status of the Technical Regulations. These annexes, normally also called manuals, are established by decision of Congress and are intended to facilitate the application of Technical Regulations to specific fields. In principle, annexes may contain both standard and recommended practices and procedures. • Definitions – published in the TRs or respective Annexes; they have the same status as the TR provision they refer to

  16. Setting Regulations and Standards WMO Guides (not part of the TRs) - describe practices, procedures and specifications which Members are invited to follow or implement in establishing and conducting their arrangements in compliance with the Technical Regulations and in developing meteorological and hydrological services in their respective countries. NOTE: It is necessary to determine responsibilities of relevant bodies to keep Guides up-to-date

  17. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Principles in the selection of material for inclusion in the Technical Regulations (agreed by Congress) • Technical commissions should not recommend that a Regulation be a standard practice unless it is supported by a strong majority; (mature for global implementation) • Technical Regulations should contain appropriate instructionsto Members regarding implementation of the provision in question; (implementable) • No major changes should be made in the Technical Regulations without consulting the appropriate technical commissions; (relevant) • Any amendments proposed to these Technical Regulations submitted by Members or by constituent bodies should be communicated to all Members at least three months before they are submitted to Congress. (globally informed and supported)

  18. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Updating procedures - amendments • Approval of amendments – as a rule, by Congress • Exceptions • Approval by Executive Council (in accordance with Article 14(c) of the Convention): • if the change is to be implemented before the time of next Congress • Amendments to annexes to the Technical Regulations proposed by the appropriate technical commissions are normally approved by the Executive Council. • the President of the Organization may approve a change on behalf of the Executive Council (in accordance with GR 9(5)) if the change is urgent.

  19. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Keeping track of amendments – proposed procedure • Definitions • Amendment – any change to the TRs and/or one or more of the Annexes • Edition – a consolidated updated publication, published after each Congress, containing all amendments approved since the time of previous Congress; the edition should be indicated by the year of the respective Congress • Update – an updated publication, published after approval by EC or the President of one or more amendments to the TRs and/or Annexes; the updates should be numbered sequentially. • NB! Amendments should be made available to Members at least 3 months before their consideration by Congress (or EC)

  20. Setting Regulations and Standards Technical Regulations: Keeping track of amendments – proposed procedure Possible Timeline

  21. Setting Regulations and Standards • How to formulate a standard: • Types of standards and recommended practices • Each standard defines a requirement • Two main groups of requirements: • Institutional or System requirements • Establishment of global, regional, and national networks and facilities with their scope, objectives and composition • Establishment of authority, responsibility, mandatory management practices • Human resources requirements (e.g., ETR, competences, qualifications) • Technical – operational, functional, procedural

  22. Setting Regulations and Standards • How to formulate a standard: • Types of standards • System requirements – exaples: • Definition of a system, including its scope, objectives and composition: • [A.2.1.] 1.1:The Global Data-processing System shall include World Meteorological Centres, Regional Meteorological Centres and National Meteorological Centres. • Designation of national facilities/networks • Manual on GOS: 2.8.3:Each Member shall establish and maintain at least one reference climatological station. • Designation of regional facilities/networks • Manual on GOS: 2.1.3.1:Regional networks shall be established in relation to the regional requirements. • Definition of a service Manual on MMSs: 2.2.3.1:Weather and sea bulletins for the high seas shall include, in the order given hereafter: Part I: Warnings; Part II: …

  23. Setting Regulations and Standards • How to formulate a standard: • Types of standards recommended practices • Technical requirements - examples • Manual on GOS: 2.3.1.4:The intermediate standard times for surface synoptic observations shall be 0300, 0900, 1500 and 2100 UTC. • Manual on MMSs: 2.2.3.1:Weather and sea bulletins for the high • seas shall include, in the order given hereafter: Part I: Warnings; Part II: … • Recommended practice - example • [B.1.] 4.2.4: Annual averages should be computed from the monthly averages by dividing the sum of the monthly averages by twelve, without consideration of the varying lengths of the months.

  24. Setting Regulations and Standards • How to formulate a standard: • Some general principles (in preparation) • Requirements for the designation of national components of systems shall be addressed to Members (not to any particular institution) • Functional/operational requirements for centres and other facilities operated by Members shall be addressed to Members • Purely technical requirements for global standardization are stated without mentioning specific addressee • Requirements related to global and regional systems should also define responsibilities of Members involved in their implementation

  25. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Enforcement • By inclusion in national legislation and regulation • By commitment for implementation – in accordance with GR 128 • Recognition by other organizations – e.g., ICAO recognizes the WMO regulations related to education and training of aeronautical meteorological personnel • Through international regulation, e.g., European Commission

  26. Setting Regulations and Standards Technical Regulations: Enforcement Example: European Commission regulation on SES recognizes ICAO regulations COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 1035/2011 of 17 October 2011 laying down common requirements for the provision of air navigation services and amending Regulations (EC) No 482/2008 and (EU) No 691/2010 Until the Agency [the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)] has drawn up the implementing measures transposing the relevant standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) into Union implementing measures, acceptable means of compliance, certification specifications and guidance material, air navigation service providers should operate in compliance with the relevant ICAO standards.

  27. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Monitoring of implementation • REGULATION 202 • The general functions of the Secretariat shall be: • … • To maintain records of the extent to which each Member implements the decisions of the Organization; • Example: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/dra/eur/RA6_WG_TDI_TDCF_Project-2.php • Non-compliance by a Member with certain WMO TR should be defined as a deficiency. • Critical deficiency should be defined as a case of non-compliance which seriously affects the overall performance of international system(s).

  28. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Monitoring of implementation • WMO should create routine procedures for evaluation of Member’s compliance with the standards. Regional Associations and Technical Commissions should play a major role. • It would be desirable to encourage members to report also on the implementation of the recommended practices and procedures. • An important concept – deficiencies: • Non-compliance by a Member with certain WMO TR should be defined as a deficiency. • Critical deficiency should be defined as a case of non-compliance which seriously affects the overall performance of international system(s). • Identification of critical deficiencies with their ownership (Members) would play an important role in channeling the technical/institutional assistance in order to improve the overall compliance with the WMO regulations.

  29. Setting Regulations and Standards • Technical Regulations: • Monitoring of implementation • Example • Members’ responsibilities • Each Member shall ensure that it has a National Meteorological Centre adequately staffed and equipped to enable it to play its part in the World Weather Watch.

  30. Technical Regulations Purpose – follow-up of Resolution 45 (Cg-XVI) – TECHNICAL REGULATIONS OF THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION … Requeststhe Secretary-General: (1) To arrange for the amendments, as approved by the Executive Council, to be included in the Technical Regulations and to ensure the editorial consistency of the relevant documents, including editorial amendments to the Manual on the WMO Information System; (2) To ensure the revision of the regulatory documents in a systematic manner and ensure that the published versions of the regulatory documents can be used as reference documentation within a nationally implemented Quality Management System; (3) To ensure that the amended versions of the Technical Regulations are translated in all official languages of WMO, with the minimum time lag.

  31. Technical Regulations • An Editorial Group was set up in Secretariat to conduct a comprehensive review of the technical regulations • Phase 1: • Incorporate all amendments approved by the EC and Congress into a new edition (2012) of the Technical Regulations • Special attention to Volume I - General Meteorological Standards and Recommended Practices • Conduct consistency check and align the provisions through editorial changes • Phase 2: • Prepare a proposal for a new structure of the Technical Regulations to reflect changes during the last 2 - 3 decades • Develop a proposal for a streamlined process for keeping the TRs up-to-date and consistent

  32. Technical Regulations • Results of Phase 1: • Full update to Technical Regulations - Volume I, ready for publishing as Edition 2011, including: • All amendments already approved by EC and Cg incorporated; • Previous supplements/corrigenda incorporated; • Document revision track record inserted for future updates; • Consistency checks within Volume I and with other Volumes as regards definitions; • Pure editorial changes (but bringing serious improvements): • footnotes converted to notes to respective articles; • outdated references removed; inclusion of references unified; • outdated definitions revised, definitions not used - removed; • use of abbreviations minimized.

  33. Technical Regulations • Findings of Phase 1: • Some inconsistencies observed: • Inappropriate use or lack of “shall” and “should” in a number of provisions; • Some provisions lack defined addressee (not clear who shall/should implement); • Improvements of the style and language are needed to make the provisions more clear for Members to foster their implementation; • Consistency throughout different Volumes and Annexes need to be enforced; • Plenty of descriptive material “embedded” in some provisions; should be send to Attachments or relevant guidance material.

  34. Technical Regulations • Lessons learned and proposals for Phase 2: • To resolve inconsistencies: • Guidance material on “how to formulate good standards and recommended practices” should be prepared (Secretariat to draft); • A briefing to be prepared for the next sessions of all Technical Commissions; • Regular cycle of new editions and updates should be introduced; • Improved Technical Regulations will help to promote “a culture of compliance” including better observance by Members of Article 9 of the Convention and General Regulation 128; • To ensure their enforcement, WMO regulations should be adequately transferred into Members’ national legislation and regulation. This should be strongly promoted and guidance to Members should be provided.

  35. SUMMARY • The standard-making process of WMO is complex involving many actors and sub-processes • It should be streamlined through better coordination between the actors and better description of the processes involved • Quality management is a must in establishing international standards and regulations.

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